Roberto_De_Zerbi

Roberto De Zerbi

Roberto De Zerbi

Italian football manager (born 1979)

Roberto De Zerbi (Italian pronunciation: [roˈbɛrto de dˈdzɛrbi]; born 6 June 1979) is an Italian professional football coach and former player who is the head coach of Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.

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Playing career

De Zerbi started his professional career at AC Milan. He spent four seasons on loan to lower divisions clubs (Serie B to Serie C2). He spent 1999–2000 Serie C1 season in Como along with Alberto Comazzi and Luca Saudati of Milan. Half of the registration rights were also sold to Salernitana in the 2000–01 and 2001–02 season. In June 2002, Milan bought back De Zerbi from Salernitana, and subsequently sold him to Foggia.

De Zerbi signed for Serie B side Napoli from Catania for €2.5 million in 2006.[3]

On 8 February 2010, Napoli announced his loan transfer to Romanian Liga I club CFR Cluj, with the deal being made permanent on 31 August 2010 on a three-year contract.[4][5]

Coaching career

Palermo

On 6 September 2016, De Zerbi was named head coach of Serie A club Palermo following Davide Ballardini's departure by mutual consent due to disagreements with the board.[6] His stint at the helm of the Sicilians, however, turned out to be negative, with seven consecutive defeats and no points at home in three months.[citation needed] After a penalty shootout elimination in a home match against Serie B club Spezia, De Zerbi was sacked on 30 November 2016, and replaced with former team captain Eugenio Corini.[7]

Benevento

On 23 October 2017, De Zerbi was named head coach of 2017–18 Serie A newcomers Benevento.[8] Despite the side being relegated back to Serie B at the end of the season, De Zerbi was praised for his possession-based, attacking football and transfer business.[9]

Sassuolo

On 13 June 2018, De Zerbi was appointed manager of Sassuolo.[10] Under his tenure, Sassuolo were praised for their footballing style coupled with overachieving results, which led the small Emilia based club to two consecutive eighth place spots in the Italian top flight, losing a UEFA Conference League qualification place to Roma only on goal difference at the end of the 2020–21 Serie A season.[citation needed]

In May 2021, De Zerbi announced he would leave Sassuolo at the end of the season.[11]

Shakhtar Donetsk

On 25 May 2021, De Zerbi was announced as the new head coach of Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk.[12] On 22 September he won the 2021 Ukrainian Super Cup against Dynamo Kyiv at the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv, becoming the first Italian manager to win the title.[13][14][15] He departed the club in July 2022 as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[16] He managed to leave the club at the top of the UPL during the unfinished season.[17]

Brighton & Hove Albion

2022–23 season

De Zerbi succeeded Graham Potter as head coach of Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion on 18 September 2022, signing a four-year contract.[18] He managed his first game in England on 1 October, in a 3–3 away draw at Liverpool with Leandro Trossard becoming the first Brighton player to score a Premier League hat-trick.[19]

De Zerbi lost his first game at Brighton's Falmer Stadium on 9 October, calling his players "fantastic" despite the 1–0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.[20] His first win came on 29 October with a 4–1 thrashing of Graham Potter's Chelsea.[21] De Zerbi went three games unbeaten against Liverpool in his debut campaign at Brighton, including beating them as defending champions in the FA Cup fourth round on 29 January 2023.[22][23]

On 18 February, he was sent off by referee Darren England following Brighton's 1–0 home defeat against Fulham. De Zerbi was shown a red card for complaining that he had lost time to prepare for the match due to a refereeing meeting during the week. In a post-match interview, he said the "level of refereeing in the Premier League is very bad", whilst also criticising Darren England for not having a "good attitude".[24][25] On March 3, he was banned from the touchline for one game and fined £15,000 by the FA in the wake of his red card in the Fulham game.[26]

De Zerbi guided Brighton to the semi-final of the FA Cup, where they faced Manchester United at Wembley on 23 April. Brighton went on to lose on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes. The Italian responded to the defeat by saying that Brighton "have to close the page" by putting disappointment behind them and fighting for a place in Europe.[27][28] Three days later, Brighton went on to lose 3–1 at Nottingham Forest before their biggest Premier League victory at the weekend on 29 April, a 6–0 home win over Wolves to boost Brighton's European hopes.[29][30] Brighton took revenge on Manchester United on 4 May, with Alexis Mac Allister scoring the only goal of the match, a 99th minute penalty that put Brighton on course for Europe.[31] However, four days later, Brighton suffered one of their worst Premier League defeats and the worst under De Zerbi, losing to Everton 5–1 at Falmer Stadium. The Toffees opened the scoreline in 34 seconds.[32]

On 21 May, Brighton beat Southampton 3–1 at home, securing a top seven finish, meaning that Brighton had qualified for Europe for the first time in the club's history.[33] De Zerbi called the qualification "more prestigious than winning the title" with a top six club. The Italian spoke with pride of coaching Brighton, calling it "an honour".[34] Three days later, Brighton sealed their place in the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League after a 1–1 draw at home against champions Manchester City.[35]

Tactics and style of management

De Zerbi has developed a reputation for playing an attacking–minded possession-based style of football, focusing heavily on shorter build-up from the goalkeeper rather than quick counter-attacks. He also favors a double pivot approach in a 4–2–3–1 system whilst deploying an aggressive high press off the ball.[36]

Managerial statistics

As of 13 April 2024
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Honours

Player

CFR Cluj

Manager

Foggia

Shakhtar Donetsk

References

  1. [1]
    "Comunicato Ufficiale N. 131" [Official Press Release No. 131] (PDF). Lega Serie A. 22 January 2019. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  2. [2]
    "Roberto De Zerbi Profile". Worldfootball.net. HeimSpiel Medien. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  3. [3]
    S.S.C. Napoli S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2007 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  4. [4]
    "OFFICIAL, Napoli release De Zerbi". Footballpress.net. 31 August 2010. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. [5]
    "Bigon: "De Zerbi is moving to Cluj" Sheffield Wednesday expressed an interest but went for Connor Wickham". Footballpress.net. 31 August 2010. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. [6]
    "Palermo-De Zerbi: si parte. E Ballardini chiude il contratto" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  7. [7]
    "Palermo, esonerato De Zerbi: squadra affidata a Corini" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  8. [8]
    "Official: Benevento appoint De Zerbi". football-italia.net. 23 October 2017.
  9. [9]
    "Worst in Europe? Benevento is deep in the Serie A basement". Associated Press. 28 September 2017.
  10. [10]
    "Official: Sassuolo appoint De Zerbi". football-italia.net. 13 June 2018.
  11. [11]
    "De Zerbi: "Sassuolo, toccato l'apice. Me ne vado"". corrieredellosport.it (in Italian). 16 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  12. [12]
    "Benvenuto, Roberto!". FC Shakhtar Donetsk. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  13. [13]
    "Шахтар розгромив Динамо і завоював Суперкубок України – Де Дзербі переграв Луческу в дебютній дуелі тренерів". www.football24.ua. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  14. [14]
    "Шахтар 3 : 0 Динамо". Ukrainian Premier League. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  15. [15]
    "Primo trofeo per De Zerbi: lo Shakthar Donetsk vince la Supercoppa battendo la Dinamo Kiev". www.tuttomercatoweb.com. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  16. [16]
    "DE ZERBI LEAVES ROLE AS SHAKHTAR BOSS". Football Italia. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  17. [17]
    "Thank you, Mister!". Shakhtar Donetsk. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  18. [18]
    "De Zerbi confirmed as new head coach". www.brightonandhovealbion.com. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  19. [19]
    "Liverpool 3-3 Brighton: Leandro Trossard scores hat-trick to deny Reds victory - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 1 October 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  20. [20]
    "Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur: Harry Kane maintains scoring run in Spurs win". BBC Sport. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  21. [21]
    "Brighton & Hove Albion 4-1 Chelsea: Seagulls spoil former boss Graham Potter's Amex Stadium". BBC Sport. 29 October 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  22. [22]
    "Super Solly leads the way for rampant Albion". Brighton & Hove Albion FC. 14 January 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  23. [23]
    "It's magic from Mitoma as Albion beat Liverpool again". Brighton & Hove Albion. 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  24. [24]
    "Brighton: Roberto de Zerbi sent for 'lost time' complaints about referee meeting". BBC Sport. 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  25. [25]
    "Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Fulham: Manor Solomon scores late winner for the visitors". BBC Sport. 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  26. [26]
    "Brighton boss De Zerbi gets touchline ban for confronting referee". Reuters. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  27. [27]
    "It's Wembley heartbreak as Albion are beaten on penalties". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  28. [28]
    "De Zerbi 'We have to close the page'". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  29. [29]
    "Albion felled by Forest". Brighton & Hove Albion. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  30. [30]
    "Back on track with six of the best". Brighton & Hove Albion. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  31. [31]
    "Mac Allister is spot on as Albion climb to sixth". 4 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  32. [32]
    "A night to forget for Albion". Brighton & Hove Albion. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  33. [33]
    "EUROPE HERE WE COME!". Brighton & Hove Albion. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  34. [34]
    "Roberto de Zerbi: Brighton in Europe more impressive than title win". BBC Sport. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  35. [35]
    "Brighton 1-1 Manchester City: Julio Enciso scores stunning equaliser to seal Europa League place". BBC Sport. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  36. [36]
    "Roberto de Zerbi: Coach Watch". www.coachesvoice.com. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  37. [37]
    "Calcio Foggia 1920: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  38. [38]
    "Managers: Roberto De Zerbi". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
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